Tiltable drafting board support means



Feb. 21, 1961 v. H. HIERS ETAL 2,972,207

' TILTABLE DRAFTING BOARD SUPPORT MEANS Original Filed Feb. 6, 1958 2' Shets-Sheet 1 Feb- 21, 19 1 v. H. HIERS ETA].

TILTABLE DRAFTING BOARD SUPPORT MEANS Original Filed Feb. 6, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [rave/72271; Vicior fir fizlers and Q ("Zaaak 611271 45671967 QM @211 61% United States Patent TILTABLE DRAFTING BOARD SUPPORT MEANS Victor H. Hiers and Claude G. Kanzelberger, Two Rivers, Wis., assignors to Hamilton Manufacturing Company, Two Rivers, Wis., a corporation .of Wis- ,consin Original application Feb. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 713,677,

' nowPatent No. 2,899,772, dated Aug. '18, 1959. Di-

vided and this application Feb. 2, 19 59, Ser. No.

Claims. (Cl. 45-131) This invention relates totiltable drafting board support means and more particularly such as is shown in our joint application with Paul L. Paulsen, Serial No. 713,677, filed February 6, 1958, now Patent No. 2,899,772, issued August 18, 1959, the present application being a division thereof.

By means of the present subject-matter, the tiltable drawing board may be readily releasably locked in any desired angular position with respect to its supporting stand and is also automatically releasably locked in'a given selected predetermined angular position.

The present invention meets the need for quick but positive adjustability of the angle of the drawing board thereby conserving the time of the draftsman or engineer using the equipment.

- Other objects and advantages will be apparent from .the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings, illustrating an embodiment of our invention and in which drawings-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tiltable drawing board and supporting stand with whichthe inventionfis shown associated; I

Figure 2 is an enlarged end elevational .view of the board and stand shown in Fig. 1, showing in full lines 'the board lowered to horizontal position and in dotted being a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;'

. Fig. 5 is a cross section further enlarged taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4; and l Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of parts shown V in the other figures.

Referring in detail to the illustrative construction 1 shown in the drawing, the numeral '21 indicates base or support for the drawing board 23a that is angularly tiltable on the base 21, the drawing board being carried by a frame 23 by means of brackets 24 secured to a corner of the stand as at 26 and which journal the shaft 28 of the frame as more particularly shown in pending application of Paul L Paulsen et al., Serial No. 691,774, filed October 22, 1957, now Patent No. 2,928,703, issued March 15, 1960. Base 21 may also be a support at one end of a desk 22. The support rod 112 for thedrawing board is articulated with the drawing board frame 23 as at 111, at one end, and, at its other or lower. end, passes through the transversely elongated slot 113 inthe base stand part 114 whereit is engaged by the releasable retaining mechanism 115 of the present invention, the latter being manually actuatable by a knob or handwheel 116 accessible on the outer face of the stand pedestal 114 as next more particularlydescribed. 5

The stand or pedestal part 114 of the base 21 is shown of box formation and has-the parallel side walls 117 and 118. In the wall- 117 is an opening 119 reinforced by a collar 119a in which is a bushing 119b. Journaled "or the wall 118. Tube 124 may thus rotate in the walls '117 and 118 while the knob 116 may be at the same time the 'closure'130 of the inner tube 129, which moves the latter axially of the outer'tube '124 to tend to place the pairs of holes 131 an'dthe pairs ofv holes 132, respectively, out of register and thus. to pinch the support rod T112. and. grip it against movement, thereby causing it 2,972,207 Patented Feb. 21, 1961 ICC jin bushing 11911 is the reduced end 120 of an arbor 121 that has'pas'sed threadedly therethrough the screw shank 122' ofknob 116. A retaining ring nut 123 is screwed onto the threaded reducedarbor end 120 on the outer face of wall 117. The inner end of the arbor 121 has secured. theretoone end 'of a tubular bearing member 124,

'the other end of which is secured to a plug 125 that is centrally tapped toreceive a ca'p'screw 126 carried by the pedestal 'wall 118. Cap screw'126 turns in opening 127 that is reinforced by collar 128 on the inner face rotatedwith respect to the tubular member 124.' Telescoped withinthe tubular member "124 is an inner tube shank 122 andnormally abutting the inner end of the latter. In the telescoped. tubes 124 and 129. respectively .are pairs of registering diametrically opposite holes 131 and 132 through which the rod 112 passes.

, direction the shank 122 is partially unscrewed from the 129 that ha'sa'c1osure130' at its end adjacent the screw When the knob 116 is rotated in a counterclockwise arbor 120 and the inner tube 129 is then free to move, under the influence of the support rod 112 to register the pair of holes 131 with the pair of holes 132, so that the support rod may move'freely therethrough. Since the tubes 124"129, are rotatable in the stand walls 117 l and 118 they adjust themselves'to angular movements of support rod 112,'as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. When, however, the knob 116 is rotated in a clockwise direction the shank 122 is screwed inwardly into abutment with to support the board frame in any selective angular or tilted position, from a horizontal position as shown in 'full lines in Fig. 2 to a' vertical positionas shown in broken lines in- Fig. 2.

An intermediate angular position for the frame and drawing board shown in Fig. 1 isone of say 55 degrees from the horizontal, this being an angular or tilted adjustment frequently used, and it'has been found desirable .t'o provide a releasable stop for'thedr'awing board frame in this position; To this, end, the outer rotatable tube "124 'has' 'pased thereo'ntoIa hanger r'nembei' 133a having 'parallel'sides 133 'and affront piece 134 that is'of from the tube 124, and has alongitudinallyelongated "slot 138 in its lower face. At the lower end ofthe rod 112 is shown a ferrule 139 that is held on the rod by a set screw 140 and'that carries a button 141. Slot 138 .isinthe'path of the button 141 in longitudinal movetme'nt's of the 10113112, the portion of the hanger. 'front that has the slot 1'38 therein thus providing a detent portion 142 for cooperation'with the buttonf141. The

lower end of this" detent'portion, 142 is turned outwardly as at 142a so that as the drawing board frame is raised from the horizontal position shown in full lines in Fig.

12 to say the 55 or more position shown in Fig. 1, the

,button. 141 engages the cam surface 143 of the detent and swings the detent away fromthe support rod until ..the button 141 rides into the slot -138. Since the lower end of the detent is heavier than its upper end it hangs away from the lower end of the support rod in the horioscillates at its lowerend in the direction of the detent, the slot 138 and the button 141 are interengaged. After such interengagement, as shown in Fig. 3, the board may then be lowered to the 55 position and held in the position so long as the detent 142 is engaged with button 141. Slot 138 is long enough so that the button 141 may ride therein while permitting raising'of the drawing board to the vertical position.

.When it is desired to lower the drawing board to less than a 55 angle from the horizontal, the upper end' of the detent 142 is manipulated by'a finger of the draftsman acting upon the fingerpiece 144 of the detent 142 to rock detent 142 into dotted line position in 'Fig. 3.

Fingerpiece 144 extends upwardly through the opening 113 in the stand in the angular positions of the frame.

By drawing the fingerpiece 144 toward the rod the lower end of the detent iscanted outwardly'and the button 141 is released from the slot 138,'permitting lowering of the' drawing board jfurthertoward the horizontal. As

the drawing board moves'toward the horizontal from the again may, by gravity, swing away from the'support rod 112, the lower end'of the support rod 112 being at this time swung to the left from its position shown'in Fig. 3

to'its position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

'frame as, shown infull lines in Fig. 2, the detent 142. 7

Since a large size board is herecontemplatedjhaving considerable weight, means are provided for counterbalancing at least a part of the weightof the drawing board and frame as the board and frame are lowered to the horizontal, such means beinghere illustrated by the frame is dropped, the'spring"145'is placed under "compression, resisting but not'preventing downward-movement or the frameand board and'thereby cushioning the drop of the latter, spring 145 being placed under'further compression as the frame is moved to the horizontal.

The invention having been described such changes may 'be made as fall within'the scope of the appended claim without departing therefrom.

What is here'claimed is:

1. In drafting board mechanism of the class described, a pair of walls, an outer tube having rotatablebearings in said walls respectivelyyan inner tube slidable in the outer tube, registering diametricallyopposite pairs of holes in said inner and outer tubes, a rod passing through said holes, a screw axially threaded insaid outertube engaging said inner tube,'whereby said screw may be turned in one direction to move the inner tube with respect'to the outer tube to placethe holes of the pairs of the holes respectively out of register to grip said rod or the screw maybe loosened to permit said holes of the pairs of holes to register under the influence of said rod to permit sliding movement of the rod with respect to the tube.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the tubesrockably carry a hanger member having side walls perforated for the free movement ofsaid outer tube therein and a bight portion extended to provide ahdetent element, a:longitudinally elongated slot in said detent element, and a button on said rod cooperating with said slot to releasably prevent downward movement of the rod in the tube.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the lower end of the detent is turned outwardly to provide a cam surface permitting said butaon topass by the detent in upward movement of the rod.

4. :In tiltable support means for use with a' base and a board pivotally mounted thereon and a support rod articulated with the board, the combination of, means on the base passing the rod therethrough, a hanger carried by said means oscillatable thereon, said hanger having sides straddling the rod and having a lower end extending in the direction of the lower end of the rod, interengaging slot and button elements on the hanger lower end and rod 15 jointly interengageable when the lower end of the hanger is moved into position against the lower end of the rod, said button being engaged by the lower end of said slot to limit downward movement of the rod, said hanger having an upper end extending in the direction of the upper end of the rod for tripping the hanger to disengage said slot and button interconnection, to permit further downward movement of the rod from said predetermined position, the rod being freely movable in a direction upwardly from said perdetermined position by movement of said button in said slot.

5. In tiltable support means for use with a base and a board pivotally mounted thereon and a support rod for the board articulated at its upper end therewith and passing downwardly into said base, the combination of, means including a pair of axially relatively movable tubes passing said rod therethrough for gripping the rod to maintain the board in a selective angular position, and means including a hanger detent carried by said means and .oscillatable with respect to the rod, and a slot and button interconnection jointly carried by said rod and hanger detent for releasably fixing the board in a predetermined angular position against downward movement while permitting further free upward movement from said pre-determined position.

.6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said hanger detent is channel shape facing said rod.

7. In tiltable support means for use with a base and a board'pivotally mounted thereon and a support rod for the board articulated at its upper end therewith and passing downwardly into said base, the combination of, means including a pair of axially relatively movable tubes passing said rod therethrough for gripping the rod to maintain the board in a selective angular position, and means including a hanger having parallel sides disposed on either side of said rod and freely riding upon the Outer of said axially movable tubes, a hanger detent carried by said means oscillatable with respect to the rod, and a slot and button interconnection jointly carried by said rod and hanger detent for releasably fixing the board in a predetermined angular position against downward movement while permitting further free upward movement from said predetermined position.

' 8. The structure of claim 7 wherein there is a washer on the rod riding said'tube between said hanger sides to locate the hanger with the rod medially thereof.

9. The structure of claim 7 wherein the hanger has a fingerpiece at its upper end passing'through a slot in the base for rocking the hanger to disengage said button and slot interconnection.

10. The structure of claim 8 wherein said washer serves as an abutment for a coil spring on the rod engageable with the board to cushion the downward movement of the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION Patent No, 2,972,207 February 21, 1961 Victor H. Hiers et al.

It 'is hereby certified'that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 46, for "pased" read passed line 55, after "front" insert piece column 3, line 8, for "the", second occurrence, read that line 28, for "mainipulated" read manipulated column 4, line 2, for "downward" read downwardly line 5, for, "butaon" read button same line 5, for "upward" read upwardly line 24, for "perdetermined" read predetermined (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer DAVID L. LADD Commissioner of Patents 

